Published: December 23, 2025
Want to use Android-only apps on a bigger screen? Here are the best ways to run Android apps on Windows 11 and macOS in late 2025—official tools, emulators, and fast screen mirroring.
If you’ve ever opened your laptop, reached for a specific app, and realized it only exists on Android, you’re not alone. In 2025, plenty of everyday essentials—scanner utilities, niche finance tools, fitness dashboards, regional services, and even some messaging companions—still prioritize mobile first.
The good news: getting Android apps onto a PC or a Mac is easier than it was a few years ago. The bad news: it’s no longer as simple as “install Android apps directly on Windows,” because the Windows Subsystem for Android (WSA) era is effectively over. Microsoft’s Android app platform (tied to the Amazon Appstore on Windows 11) reached its end-of-support date on March 5, 2025, pushing most people toward streaming, emulation, or mirroring instead. [1]
As of December 23, 2025, here’s what’s actually working—and what’s newly improved—if your goal is to run Android apps on a Windows PC or Mac.
What’s new right now in late December 2025
A few updates in the past couple of weeks have made the “Android on your computer” story noticeably better—especially if you’re on Windows 11:
- Microsoft’s Link to Windows + Phone Link ecosystem is getting more capable, including a remote “Lock PC” button, richer file sharing, and easier screen mirroring controls rolling out through December. [2]
- Microsoft is also testing ways to make Android app streaming windows feel less like a narrow phone screen, via an “expanded view” approach in Phone Link. [3]
- Meanwhile, a widely shared guide this week highlighted four free, consumer-friendly paths: Phone Link, Google Play Games, the MuMuPlayer emulator, and scrcpy for low-latency mirroring. [4]
- On macOS, the emulator landscape continues to focus on Apple Silicon (M‑series chips), and BlueStacks Air continues to ship frequent stability and compatibility updates—most recently on December 17, 2025. [5]
- For power users, the open-source mirroring tool scrcpy posted a new release (v3.3.4) on December 17, addressing post-upgrade and device-specific issues—useful if mirroring broke after an Android update. [6]
So, what should you actually use? It depends on what kind of Android app you’re trying to run.
Option 1: Stream Android apps to Windows 11 with Microsoft Phone Link (best “no emulator” experience)
If your Android-only app already lives on your phone and you simply want it on a bigger screen—without installing a full emulator—Microsoft’s Phone Link is usually the cleanest path.
Phone Link pairs your Android phone to your Windows PC and can let you open apps from your desktop. Under the hood, this works like app streaming / mirroring: your phone is still doing the work, and your PC displays and controls the app.
What you need
Microsoft’s official requirements are straightforward:
- A Windows 10 PC (October 2022 update or later) or Windows 11
- An Android phone on Android 8.0+ (Android 10+ recommended)
- Both devices connected (typically) to the same Wi‑Fi network [7]
Also note: the Apps experience isn’t universal. Microsoft lists app streaming as supported on select devices/brands and markets (commonly Samsung and others), rather than every Android phone on Earth. [8]
Why it’s suddenly more useful this month
Recent Link to Windows updates rolling out in December add shortcuts and controls that make the pairing feel less “beta,” including a remote lock control and smoother cross-device sharing features. [9]
And if you’ve tried app streaming before and hated the cramped portrait window, Microsoft is testing an “expanded view” style improvement aimed at making streamed apps feel more desktop-friendly. [10]
Best for
- Messaging companions, scanners, authentication utilities, finance/utility apps
- Anything you already trust on your phone and don’t want to re-install elsewhere
- People who want the simplest setup (and don’t need macOS)
Not great for
- Apps that need to run when your phone is offline, far away, or locked
- Heavy games (unless you’re fine with streaming latency)
Option 2: Play Android games on Windows with Google Play Games on PC (best official option for games)
If your main goal is Android gaming, Google has spent 2025 turning Google Play Games on PC into the “official” way to do it—without the baggage of a traditional emulator.
Google Play Games on PC is a Windows app that signs in with your Google account and lets you install supported games, with progress syncing across devices.
Minimum PC requirements (official)
Google lists minimum requirements including:
- Windows 10 (v2004)
- SSD with 10 GB free
- 8 GB RAM
- Intel UHD Graphics 630 (or comparable)
- 4 CPU physical cores
- Hardware virtualization enabled [11]
What’s changed in 2025
Google announced in September that Google Play Games on PC graduated out of beta to general availability, and it highlighted a catalog “over 200,000 titles available across mobile and PC.” [12]
(That doesn’t mean every Android game is perfect on PC—Google also uses compatibility indicators/badges and testing tiers.)
Best for
- People who want a legit, Google-supported solution
- Competitive or long-session gaming where you want keyboard/mouse support
- Anyone wary of third‑party emulator installers
Not great for
- Non-game Android apps (Google Play Games is gaming-focused)
- macOS users (it’s Windows-centric)
Option 3: Install an Android emulator (best when you need a full Android environment)
Emulators create a virtual Android device on your computer. This is the most flexible path—especially if you want a self-contained Android environment—but it’s also the option most likely to run into performance, compatibility, or “this app won’t run on emulators” roadblocks.
MuMuPlayer (Windows + Apple Silicon Mac)
A popular pick highlighted in recent guides is MuMuPlayer, which positions itself as lightweight and available on both Windows and macOS—with macOS support focused on Apple Silicon. [13]
In practical terms, you:
- Download MuMuPlayer for your OS
- Install and launch the virtual Android device
- Sign into Google Play inside the emulator
- Install apps like you would on an Android phone [14]
BlueStacks Air (Mac-focused Android gaming, actively updated)
For Mac users—especially gamers—BlueStacks Air continues to ship frequent bug fixes and compatibility updates, including a major December 17 release with multiple app/game fixes and performance work. [15]
Best for
- Apps that you want to run without relying on your phone being present
- Testing apps, multi-instance workflows, keyboard/mouse control
- Certain games that feel better on a desktop
Not great for
- Banking, streaming, or security-sensitive apps that block emulators
- Older Intel Macs (many modern solutions emphasize Apple Silicon)
- People who want “set it and forget it” simplicity
Security note: If you go the emulator route, prefer installing apps from official stores inside the emulator. If you sideload APKs, treat the source like you’d treat downloading an EXE on Windows: only from places you genuinely trust.
Option 4: Mirror your Android screen to Mac/PC with scrcpy (best performance for mirroring)
If Phone Link feels laggy—or you’re on macOS and want a free, fast, no-nonsense approach—scrcpy is the power-user favorite.
scrcpy is an open-source tool that displays and controls your Android device from your computer, typically over a USB connection (which is why it’s often smoother than Wi‑Fi mirroring). Recent consumer guides keep recommending it for exactly that reason. [16]
Why scrcpy matters this week
scrcpy released v3.3.4 on December 17, with fixes aimed at post-upgrade errors and device-specific quirks—exactly the kind of changes that keep mirroring working when Android updates roll out. [17]
High-level setup (what to expect)
- Enable Developer options and USB debugging on your Android phone
- Install scrcpy on your computer
- Connect via a data-capable USB cable
- Run scrcpy and control your phone from your desktop [18]
Best for
- Low-latency control (typing, navigation, scanning workflows)
- Cross-platform use: Windows, macOS, Linux
- Anyone who wants to avoid full emulators
Not great for
- People uncomfortable enabling developer settings
- Wireless-only setups (scrcpy can do TCP/IP, but USB is the “it just works” path)
The option you used to have: Windows Subsystem for Android (and why it’s not the 2025 answer)
A lot of people still Google “Android apps on Windows 11” expecting the old Amazon Appstore/WSA setup. But Microsoft’s Android subsystem support ended March 5, 2025, and Amazon’s developer documentation made it explicit that the Amazon Appstore on Windows 11 would no longer be supported after that date. [19]
In other words: if you’re building a workflow today, late 2025, treat WSA as legacy—your reliable choices are now Phone Link streaming, Google Play Games, emulators, or mirroring tools.
Quick decision guide: Which method should you choose?
Use this “what are you trying to do?” filter:
- I want my phone’s apps on my Windows PC with minimal hassle → Phone Link [20]
- I only care about Android games on Windows → Google Play Games on PC [21]
- I want Android apps on a Mac, not just Windows → Emulator (Apple Silicon best) or scrcpy [22]
- I want the smoothest mirroring with the least lag → scrcpy (USB) [23]
- I want a full Android environment that runs without my phone nearby → Emulator (MuMuPlayer, BlueStacks Air, etc.) [24]
The safety checklist (especially if you’re installing emulators or APKs)
Before you turn your laptop into an Android machine, keep these rules in mind:
- Prefer official downloads (Google Play Games from Google; Phone Link from Microsoft; emulators from their official sites). [25]
- If an app asks you to sideload an APK, assume risk until proven otherwise.
- For mirroring tools, be mindful of what you display on screen (2FA codes, banking apps, private chats).
- If you’re using Phone Link/app streaming, remember: your phone is the “real device.” If your phone goes offline, the session can degrade or stop. [26]
Bottom line for December 23, 2025
Running Android apps on a computer is still very possible in 2025—it’s just split into clearer lanes:
- Windows 11 + Android phone: Phone Link streaming keeps improving, and December’s Link to Windows updates add convenience and security touches. [27]
- Windows gaming: Google Play Games on PC is the official, increasingly mature path, with Google positioning it as a mainstream platform. [28]
- Mac users: Emulators and mirroring remain the primary play, with Apple Silicon increasingly the baseline for the best experience—while tools like BlueStacks Air and MuMuPlayer continue to iterate. [29]
- Fastest “it just works” mirroring: scrcpy remains a standout, with a fresh December release that keeps it current. [30]
If you want one safe, practical recommendation: start with Phone Link (Windows) or scrcpy (Mac/Windows), and only jump to emulators when you truly need a standalone Android environment.
References
1. www.theverge.com, 2. www.techradar.com, 3. www.techradar.com, 4. www.bgr.com, 5. support.bluestacks.com, 6. github.com, 7. support.microsoft.com, 8. support.microsoft.com, 9. www.techradar.com, 10. www.techradar.com, 11. play.google.com, 12. blog.google, 13. www.mumuplayer.com, 14. www.bgr.com, 15. support.bluestacks.com, 16. www.bgr.com, 17. github.com, 18. www.bgr.com, 19. www.theverge.com, 20. support.microsoft.com, 21. blog.google, 22. www.mumuplayer.com, 23. www.bgr.com, 24. www.mumuplayer.com, 25. play.google.com, 26. www.bgr.com, 27. www.techradar.com, 28. blog.google, 29. support.bluestacks.com, 30. github.com
